Clothes-line fastener



(No Model.)

0. BENESH.

CLOTHES LINE PASTENBR. I No. 546,754. Patented Sept. 24,1895,

C/wzrzai fianeak.

ANDREW BGRIRNAM,HDTO'UTHO WASHINEION. [7.0.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

CHARLES BENESH, OF WAHPETON, NORTH DAKOTA, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNEASSIGNMENTS, TO H. E. HOLMES AND SAMUEL J. CARPENTER, OF MINNE- APOLIS,MINNESOTA.

CLOTH ES-LINE FASTEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 546,754, datedSeptember 24, 1895.

A plication filed January 26,1895. Serial No. 586,372- (No model.)

To otZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OHARLEs BENESH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Wahpeton, in'the county of Richland and State of 5 NorthDakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inClothes-Line Fasteners; and I do declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part ofthis specification.

My invention relates to a clothes-line clamp or clutch, and aims toprovide a device simple in construction, efficient, durable, and whichis capable of being easily and readily manipulated for purposes ofstretching and 2e removing the rope when required. One desideratum indevices of this nature is the provision of a device which will admit ofthe rope being quickly removed and applied to the clamp and firmly heldin the located po- 2 5 sition without requiring extra manipulation otherthan that required to place the rope in position in the clamp. Myimproved structure fills this requirement, and is of such constructionthat the rope, while being securely 5o held, will not be subjected toany injurious abrasion by contact with the clamp.

The improvement consists of a clam p composed of two parts, one partbeing secured to the support to which the rope is to be attached bymeans of suitable fastenings, and having a lug provided with lateralextensions forming a fulcrum for the other part to rock upon, and havinga gripping-jaw and guides contiguous to said gripping-jaws to brace themovable part against lateral stress, the other part being movable-thatis, having pivotal connection with the said fixed part, and having hooksby means of which it is readily engaged with the said lateralextensions, and

5 having a curved arm provided with a ropepassage, and having a jaw toact in opposition with the jaws on the fixed part to firmly and securelyclamp the rope, and having an extension to work between the said guidesto hold the parts in fixed relation when the device is in service. Theparts are especially constructed with respect to lightness, strength,compactness, and durability and with regard to ease of manipulation, sothat the rope or clothes-line can be put up and taken down by anyonewith the greatest facility.

With these and such other advantages as belong to the nature of theinvention, the latter consists of the novel structure, hereinafter morefully described and claimed, and shown in the accompanying drawings, inwhich- Figure 1 is a side view showing the application of the invention.Fig. 2 is a front View of the fixed or base part of the clamp. Fig. 3 isa perspective view of the movable part in which is formed therope-passage.

The clamp is composed of the two parts A and B, the former being thefixed or base part and the latter the pivoted or movable part. The partA is formed of a plate at, having openings to receive suitablefastenings, by means of which it is attached to a post or other support.An ear or lug extends from one side of the plate near the upper end, andfrom the sides of this lug project trunnions 2, forming a fulcrum forthe part B to rock upon when releasing and clamping the rope. This lug bis centrally disposed to evenly distribute the strain on the plate a. Atransverse depression 3 is formed near the lower end of the plate abetween two transverse ribs 0 and D, which ribs constitute and formclamping-jaws for the rope F andhave angular engaging edges for the ropeto impact against, so as to prevent any possible slipping of the saidrope when properly adjusted to the required tension. The guides Eproject out from the ends of the lower transverse rib D and at rightangles to the face of the plate a and flare at their inner edges, andare sufficiently long to embrace the sides of the lower extension at ofthe part B, and brace the said part B against lateral stress.

The removable part B is provided with two arms or extensions 5, whichare designed to embrace the ear or lug I). These arms or extensions areof approximately hook shape, and the concaved portions thereof aredesigned to bear on trunnions 2, whereby said movable part is pivotallysupported upon said trunnions. The movable member Bis provided at itsupper end with a curved arm 6,

which is coneaved on its upper surface at 7 to form a seat for the ropeF. A transverse rib S, at the lowerend opposite the depression 3,deflects the rope and presses it into the said depression and causes itto bind upon the edges of the jaws C and D. The parts C, D, and 8 formpractically the rope-gripping jaws as the rope is held between them. Thelower extension 4 projects a short distance below the lower end of thepart A, so as to be grasped by the fingers when it is required torelease the rope, which is effected by pulling out upon the saidextension 4. This operation separates the jaws and permits the rope topass freely between them. The parts A and B will be cast separately, andwhen in use the part A will be fastened to a suitable support by meansof nails, screws, or similar fastenings passed through the openings inthe plate, or in any desired manner. The rope to be stretched is fittedin the rope-passage in the part B, and the latter is fitted to the partA by passing the hooks astride of the lug b and over the extensions 2. Atension on the rope will pull outwardly and downwardly upon the arm 6and cause the lower end to move inward and clamp the rope between thejaws C, D, and S, in the manner set forth hereinbefore. The rope isreleased in one of two ways, either by pulling straight down upon therope-that is, the loose end dangling below the fasteneror by graspingthe extension 4 and pressing outward thereon. To disengage the rope fromthe fastener, the part B is detached from the part A by lifting the partB sufliciently to free the hooks 5 from the extensions 2.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the device is simple, cheap,easily manipulated, and will readily admit of the rope being quickly anddeftly placed in position and taken down with the same dispatch andconvenience.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. The hereindescribed improved ropeclamp, comprising a fixed orstationary memher, an ear or lug projecting therefrom, trunnionsprojecting from said ear or lug, and a removable member having an uppercurved arm forming a rope seat, the hook-shaped bearings projecting fromsaid arm and mounted on said trunnions, and a lower end adapted to gripthe rope between it and the fixed member, substantially as set forth.

2. The herein described improved rope clamp, comprising a stationarymember having clamping ribs at its lower end, guide-arms projecting fromsaid clamping ribs, an ear or lug also projecting from said stationarymember, trunnions projecting from said ear or lug, a removable memberhaving an upper curved arm forming a rope seat, hook-shape bearingsprojecting from said arm and mounted on said trunnions, and a clampingrib on the lower end of said removable member designed to coincide withthe clamping ribs of said stationary member, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I ZtlllX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES UENICSII.

\Vitncsses:

FREEMAN ORCUJT, GEO. O. BENEsn.

